Like the onset of spring itself, Nancy Tran’s Spring/Summer 2018 collection didn’t assert itself suddenly but rather gradually made  itself known with grace and whimsy. At her debut New York Fashion Week presentation, her boldly colorful gowns floated around the room as if borne by a springtime breeze.

Florals for spring are nothing new, but Tran’s flowery prints signify a greater cultural significance. Several pieces featured subtle but intricate floral embroidery, often framed by silhouettes echoing the Qipao and other traditional Eastern garments. Other dresses displayed large, digitally printed florals like those seen more often in Western fashion, and many pieces combined Eastern and Western influences. A strapless number depicted a bridge enshrouded in mist and cherry blossoms, and its presumable counterpart showed rolling tulip fields and a windmill.

However, Tran does not see this collection as part of a cultural dichotomy.

“This is an incredibly international collection,” Tran said after the show. “I could see these being worn in Rio, Milan, Paris.”  

Tran — who formerly worked with prestigious law firm and investment banks in New York — brings this beautiful and cosmopolitan set of day-to-evening dresses after enrolling in the Fashion Institute of Technology. Entitled “Transformation”, the collection echoes her personal journey towards her true calling of fashion. Infused by springtime’s themes of renewal and change, the collection’s symbolic inspiration is the butterfly, representative of freedom and new life. The classic, elegant styles were accessorized only by a butterfly pin, which Tran frequently ran up to her models to adjust throughout the show.

“There we go,” she said while adjusting a pin. “Now it can fly free.”

Email Jessica Zhang at [email protected].